Visualizing Socioeconomic Data in the
Classroom with the CHANGE Viewer
Robert R. Downs1
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rdowns@ciesin.columbia.edu
NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC)
Center for International Earth Science Information Network
(CIESIN)
The Earth Institute, Columbia University
SUMMER 2015 MEETING OF THE
FEDERATION OF EARTH SCIENCE INFORMATION PARTNERS
Pacific Grove, California, 14-17 July 2015
ESIP Education Workshop
Thursday 16 July 2015, 9:30 a.m.
Based on :Visualizing Data with the CHANGE Viewer (Downs, 2013).
Copyright 2015. Robert R. Downs.
CHANGE Viewer Activities
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Introduction
Description
Installation
Orientation
Data selection
Analysis
Measurement
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Climate and Health ANalysis for Global Education Viewer
(CHANGE Viewer)
• Enables access, analysis, and visualization of Earth science data
– Data obtained from the NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center
(SEDAC) & other sources.
– Description and download link: http://www.ciesin.columbia.edu/gcce/
Developed by CIESIN,
Columbia University,
and IAGT, Cayuga
Community College,
with support from the
NASA Innovations in
Climate Education
Initiative.
Accessing, Measuring, and Analyzing Economic Loss
from Cyclones with the CHANGE Viewer
• Free web-based educational tool
• Runs on Windows and Mac computers.
• Requires a modern graphics card with up-to-date driver, Java Runtime
Environment 1.6.0 or later, 2GB RAM, 30MB available hard disk
space, and an internet connection.
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Installing the CHANGE Viewer
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Use a computer browser to access the http://www.ciesin.columbia.edu/gcce/ URL.
On the CHANGE Viewer web page, click on the image or the CHANGE Viewer
installation link.
In the dialog box that appears, click on Open with Java radio button and the OK button.
The CHANGE Viewer window and globe will appear within a few seconds.
Accessing Data on Economic Loss Risk from Cyclones
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Click on the Data Library Tab and then click on the SEDAC tab.
Click on the Layer: Cyclone Total Economic Loss Risk.
Analyzing Economic Loss Risk
from Cyclones for a Continent
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Click on the Map tab. Click on the radio buttons: Place Names & Political Boundaries.
Click on North America to rotate the globe and click the + sign to zoom in.
Compare the map and the color scale to identify areas of low medium, and high risk.
Measuring Economic Loss Risk
from Cyclones for a Location
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Click the + sign. Click on the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States to find Richmond,
Virginia, on the map. Click on the Population Estimation tab and the Draw button.
Click around the dark green area surrounding Richmond to draw a polygon around the
area of high risk.
• Click Calculate to
estimate the population
around Richmond at
high risk of economic
loss from cyclones.